


Open Seas

by OniGuardian



Series: Open Seas [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: AU, Elizabethan, F/F, F/M, Humanstuck, M/M, Pirates, Piratestuck, Red Romance, Solkar - Freeform, solkat - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-02-28 08:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2725253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OniGuardian/pseuds/OniGuardian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a picture of EriSol I found once. I've been trying to find the artist to it so I can share with them this fanfic, but no luck whatsoever. Who knows, maybe they'll find it through here. The reason I mention that, though, is because I loved the picture so much, I basically made a fan-fiction out of it. I write a lot, and many things give me ideas, so this is the result of the inspiration.</p>
<p>The picture is this: http://media.tumblr.com/afa23eabf64b66eb152ef9bf26187866/tumblr_inline_n0cmhovj1P1rn0p5k.png</p>
<p>I also did it because I love this pairing anyway.</p>
<p>HOWEVER: It is Humanstuck (So that it flows better into the AU I made for it) and it's red-romance.</p>
<p>I know, I know, some of you LOVE them as trolls. Just use your imagination cx</p>
<p>I hope to post a chapter every week or so, or whenever I feel I have good ideas for it! I'm pretty much going with the flow, here, while having spots planned here and there ;u;</p>
<p>None the less, here it is and I really hope you guys enjoy it!<br/>Feel free to share it, comment, etc etc!</p>
<p>Let's begin this wonderful adventure <3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "Whiskey, Johnny!"

"Whiskey is the life of man!"

One of the men started, passing crates of goods to one another while some lounged with bottles in their hands.

Most of them smiled and joined along, "Whiskey, Johnny!"

"Oh, Whiskey is the life of man!"

"Whiskey for my Johnny-O!"

One of the men jumped onto the edge of the ship, grabbing hold of the net from the side, "Oh, I drink Whiskey when I can!"

"Whiskey, Johnny!"

"I'll drink it out of an old tin can!"

"Whiskey for my Johnny-O!"

Another lifted his bottle, sitting off to the side on a barrel, and continued, "Whiskey gave me a broken nose!"

"Whiskey, Johnny!"

"Whiskey made me pawn my clothes"

"Whiskey for my Johnny-O!" some laughed while others sang, continuing the song while they moved the crates along.

One young man decided to stand on a crate, "I thought I heard the old man say"

"Whiskey, Johnny!"

"I'll treat my crew in a decent way"

This made one of the men stop drinking and shoot a glare at the younger man, to which the young man only laughed and got off the crate.

"Whiskey for my Johnny-O!"

He shot the rest of them a glare, to which they all laughed it off, some patting his back, "Relax, ol' Joe. We're doin nothin bad of makin fun o' ya"

"Yeah, ol' man, we're just-a havin' fun!" said another.

"Oh, shut ya holes and get back to work, then!" he said, crossing his arms and looking away.

The young man walked on over and swung an arm over his shoulders, "You know I wath only joking."

"You shut ya lispin trap and get back to work!"

"Aww, captain, don't be tho harsh on ya betht crewman."

"HA! Best crewman? Ye can hardly speak without a-screwin up ya 's' words. And that's given your name starts with it, _Sollux_ " He'd said his name with mocking emphasis, but only to tease the young man.

"Not my fault I've gotten into fightth and thplit my tongue"

The captain rolled his eyes and shoved the younger man away, though they were both laughing. Sollux watched as the others finished their last several crates, proud of the work they'd done today. They'd up and started roaring more songs, about each other and anything they found amusing enough to bring up.

He'd gone back to helping them out, eventually joining them in their silly conversations.

"Found my lass out with some freebooter, the other night. I swear I'd-a chopped his damned head off if it wasn't for her getting in the god damn way." One of the crewmen started.

Another just came and slapped him in the back of the head, ignoring his growl, "Miles, ya worryin' 'bout nothin', mate. I told ye she'd had gone off. Ya didn't want to believe me. That's ya-r-own damn fault. Get over yaself and help me with this god damn crate."

"Thomas, you only say that cause you've not'n to worry 'bout! You don't even have a lass of ya own!"

"O'course I don't. I don't botha' with that pain in me head. What do I look like to ya?"

"A sad crewman who drinks till his head is too stupid to make a whale from a decent lass."

"'Decent' he says. Do ya hear ya self? You sound like some poor ol' cockswain who don't even have a single idea what a good woman is like!"

"Boyth, boyth, relaxth." Sollux said. He'd already finished unloading a crate before he walked over and hooked his arms around both their necks, "Why don't we talk about thomethin' elthe that won't get uth at one another'th throatth, mm?"

"Ah, shut up, Lispy. Not like you've had a single experience with any lass." Miles asked.

"Aye, but I have."

"Is that so? Who then?" Thomas asked.

He leaned, bringing them both close and pointing out a woman in a simple red dress and red hat. She had beautiful wavy-brown hair that draped over her shoulders and down about half her back, if not near her rear. Of course, the parts they were concerned with was the bust and her rump, which were both more than they should be. When they both perked their brows, he then turned their attention to the woman off to the far right, along the stretch of the bay's platforms and decks, who wore a mix of light Magenta and Teal accessories. Her dress looked more expensive than the first, intricate and flowing. Her hair were tight black curls that reached about the same as the first one. To Miles and Tom, that one only had a rump about the same as the first.

Miles was the first to say "That's a load of lies!" and slapped his arm away while the other slipped away, "There's no way i-hell you even got a sniff o' their perfume!"

He shrugged, giving a smug expression, "That'th the truth, boyth. Whether you believe me or not ith entirely your choithe."

They both exchanged looks before turning their attention away with disbelievable shakes of their head. They did, however, grin and laugh when they saw someone off in the distance. Miles elbowed Thomas and started slipping jokes to one another.

This did catch Sollux's attention. He looked where they were looking and lifted his brows. A man, as young as himself, was walking along the stone pathway, well dressed in rich, Royal-Purple clothes: a Royal-Purple coat, matching vest and a bright, white shirt like his own. The only difference was that his style had loose ruffles in the front of his neck. He also wore black sleek pants and shoes to match the whole set. As he walked closer, he could see he wore a golden ring on nearly every finger and other jewelry that hung from his ears and neck. Aside from all that, his hair was slicked back in a stylish way and he looked like he was trying to keep his chin high, though he kept glancing at the people around in a cautious way.

 _Why would he need to be cautious?_  Sollux wondered.

"Who'th that?" He asked, casting his red and blue eyes on the purple man.

"What's this, Sollux? Ya interested in that ill-nutured brat, are ya?" Thomas said sarcastically, laughing when the Sollux had given him a look.

"That there is the son of the fat-kidneyed hedge-pig that pays us our salaries. Shitty character, that one. I'd had thought his father was bad, but this one?" Miles scoffed, waving him away.

They had just turned to get back to finish the last few crates, till they heard someone call out and a splash following after. Sollux looked back, only to see most of the people around laughing at the Royal-Purple man who'd fallen into the bay water. He waited a second or two to see if anyone was going to help. When they didn't, he rolled his eyes and handed Miles some of his wear. He dove in the water, wearing nothing but his puffy white top and pants, and swam for him.

The man flailed about until Sollux wrapped a good arm around him and kept him afloat. He watched as other coughed a bit, ignore the exclaims from some in the background and tried to make his way back towards a dock. He could hear them, shouting out fowl things at him, but he didn't stop. Thomas and Miles rolled their eyes and helped him out with a couple ropes and their hands. He helped settle the man down onto a roll of rope where he tried to look away from everyone with a scowl.

"Shoulda let him do it 'imself" murmured one of the other crewmembers. Sollux, now kneeling on a knee in front of the man, shot them a glare and let them walk away before turning to the purple man in front of him, "Are you alright there, friend?" He kept his voice at a calming tone, low and soft.

He saw gleaming purple eyes shoot up at him with a glare. For a moment, he'd almost thought he was about to get attacked, but they turned away after a while. The man held his own arms in a poor attempt to keep himself warm, "I'm fine."

He looked back at the other crew members and sighed, turning his attention to him, "Let'th go getcha dried up then-"

"I'll be fine." he cut him off, not daring to meet his eyes.

He was taken a back for a moment, but tried again, "It'th alright" He softly said, "I have a change of clotheth tho that you don't get a cold-"

The man interrupted him with a snort, shooting his purple eyes at him again with a vicious look, "Me wwear wwhatevver you low-class pigs havve to offer? I'd rather take my luck wwith the cold. I'll offer you my thanks for savvin me, but that's all this is comin to." He had an odd accent that Sollux couldn't quite place, but it got worse as he continued. He glared at everyone before shooting his eyes back at him, "I can handle myself."

Ow.

He had to admit that those words were actually kind of hurtful, but nothing that stopped him. Sollux stood and figured one last try wouldn't hurt, "Are you sure you don't want me to jutht-"

He growled and stood, "Cod damn it, I said I'm fine! Just leavve me be, you lispin cockswwain!"

He was really taken-a-back this time and watched as the man stalked away. He felt a little hurt, but there was no way he was going to let that show. He stood, the crewmen who shot glares at the soaked mass of purple as he made his way passed the dotted crowds and disappear and had then turned their attention to Sollux. He only ignored their looks and started rinsing out his shirt.

Miles was the first to walk over and pat his back, "I told ye he wasn't good folk. You should'a just let him crawl out by 'imself. Go get'ya self dried, boy. You did good by us."

Sollux smiled and nodded, taking his other pieces of clothes and making his way through the crewmen. The captain called him over and gave him a pat on the back, "Don't worry yourself about 'im, boy. He was just upset, is all. You did good today. Go home and dry yaself, cook up somethin nice and relax. Tomorrow, though, ya goin ta half to work twice as hard" he half joked, winking to make sure Sollux caught the sarcasm.

He only chuckled and nodded, "I'll be back tomorrow to make you all look thilly, ith what I'm goin to do"

Both of them laughed as the captain ruffled his hair, "Keep dreamin', boy-o"

He turned and was ready to walk away, but his mind slowly drifted back to the thought of the man and soon he found his curiosity rising. He turned to Captain Joe and had to do it, "Captain."

"Call me Joe. I'm not ya captain, boy" He teased, though he looked at him with a curious eye.

"Who wath that anyway?"

"That was the son to the man who pays us. Hell, the man who owns this here bay and town. His name's Eridan Ampora, and you've already gotten a good look-see at who the boy is."

He nodded, taking the name into note in his mind before he nodded a thanks at his captain and walked away.

 _Eridan Ampora, huh..?_ He thought to himself.


	2. 'Bloody hell?'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for Sollux to find a way to stop thinking, but nothing seems to be working.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New character introduction :D
> 
> Lots of you will love this one (:

He'd gotten home and dried himself off, washed up and changed into a different puffy shirt. The only difference between the too, really, was that this was had thin brown strings the criss-cross a little below the middle of the neck line and down some. He just kept on simple pants and didn't even bother with shoes. He lived nearest to the water he possibly could, though it wasn't entirely as close as he'd love. If he head down the roads and down a hill, he'd be there. At least he could still catch the smell of the ocean from here, which he loved waking up to.

All he wanted was to lay back and catch a little nap, but earlier kept poking at his mind.

_Eridan Ampora_

That was a name he'd never heard before. The only Ampora he knew about was the guy who paid them, like the crew members mentioned. He was always called Dualscar, though. He'd gotten the name from a time he'd once been a pirate, or so the rumors told. He'd been one of the fiercest, having brought down many ships under his reign over several seas and had only once lost to a woman he'd chased for endless more. Their battle had gone out with blazing cannons, but he'd ended up scarred and left adrift at sea. He was found by the King who offered him a chance to live, instead of a hanging.

That's about as much as he knew, though. Any other details were too odd to even think about or just not even worth thinking. Rumors were the only way to know about Dualscar. He had never shown his face around, not that Sollux saw, anyway, and sometimes it was questioned whether or not the man ever would.  
Somehow, Sollux felt he might sometime, but, for now, that was not the thought in his mind.

Right now, all he wanted to was to get his mind cleared or at least too foggy to even think, and the nearby tavern. Now, that seemed like a pleasant thought. He slipped on whatever boots he had and made his way out and onto the dirt road. He headed uphill, heading straight for Tom's Tavern, a simple place to grab a drink of just about anything, unless you cared about being called a wuss for not drinking any beer or alcohol. He didn't care about being called a wimp or not, he drank because he wanted and that's all.

Along the way, he silently admired the run down little homes around here. They weren't terrible, but they weren't mint condition either, and most of them had no particular color coordination, though it didn't matter either. He dodged a kid or two that run around, nodded at any of the other men and women that looked his way and carried on towards the tavern. The town wasn't the sort of place that would be filled with the rotten souls, or at least not that Sollux ever saw. People were just about average here, minding their own business and carrying on in life, but the way some of them had acted towards him earlier was a slight shock. He started remembering the couple of foul words that were said to him when he was rescuing Eridan, or at least he did till he was suddenly bumped into and knocked to the ground flat on his arse.

He held his head, having felt one skull hit his own, and opened his eyes to see himself and someone else entangled in a mess of limps and dirt. It took him a moment, while they both started sitting up a bit, to realize who it was. He shoved them off, "Really, 'kk?!" he shouted at him, though he wasn't really angry.

The slightly shorter guy sneered at him, rubbing his head, "Why don't you watch where you're going instead of daydreaming? Maybe then I wouldn't have bumped into you!" he shouted back.

Sollux grumbled and stood up, dusting himself off and looking down at the other. He extended a hand out to him while the shorter was dusting off his clothes. He'd looked up at Sollux as if debating, but took his hand anyway and was helped up.

This shouty little rogue was Karkat, and it looked like he had just scored a pick pocket or something, considering the sack he was picking up now. Sollux only managed a roll of his eyes after he'd noticed the sack, "Tho I thee you haven't really given up your little gameth, Hmm?"

"What games-" he looked down at the sack he was holding and scoffed, tying it back to the side of his waist band, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I haven't. Are you going to start your whining about that too?"

"No, I'm jutht goin to treat ya out to drink with me." He said, passing him by and knowing he'd follow.

Karkat raised his brows and shrugged, "I guess that doesn't sound too bad. Why?" he asked as he did follow along.

"Becauthe I realithe that blowing your ear drumth out with the factth ithn't going to work, but I know what will."

"Oh yeah, and what's that?"

"Don't worry ya little head about that one."

"Call me little and you'll be the one worrying."

~*~

They'd gotten to the place and took their seats at the bar, settling into the wooden stools. whatever the bartender offered. They'd even ordered some food, to which Sollux insisted Karkat to take on the offer. Karkat did, although part of him didn't want to.

"So what's gotten you out and about? I thought you'd be sitting at home tinkering on whatever shit you're working on."

Sollux shot him a glare as if he had told him day in and day out not to mention his projects out in public. He took a quick glance about and took note that no one was listening, "Jutht dethided to have a drink, ith all."

"Oh... if you say so." He took a swig of his tankard as soon as it arrived.

Sollux just downed some of his and leaned his crossed arms onto the edge, "What doeth it matter anyway?"

"Was just asking. Yeesh, is it such a bad thing?"

He shrugged, not really in the spirit of talking. He wasn't even sure why. He wasn't making much an effort to hide the fact that he was bothered about something, and it wasn't like he could hide it from Karkat anyway.

"Seriously, Captor, what's the matter?"

"I'm thurprithed you didn't hear."

"What?"

"An Ampora paththed by the bay today, apparently."

"Ohh, that? The whole thing about him falling in the water?"

"Yeah. I pulled him out."

"Okay?"

He looked at him, partly surprised he hadn't acted like everyone else, "What, you're not going to tell me how I should have let him drown?"

"No, why the bloody hell would I do that?"

"'Bloody hell?'"

"Shut up. I'm trying new words."

Sollux chuckled and shrugged, "Thome of the otherth kept telling me that."

"It was Eridan, if I heard right. I have no connection to the Amporas aside from the fact they'd let me go one time they'd caught me... 'borrowing.'" He paused for a moment, having noticed Sollux's look and rolled his eyes to it. "Whatever their reasons, I don't give a damn. What did he even say?"

"He didn't really say much, to be honest. He seemed... angry, I suppose."

He perked a brow, "Huh. Why angry?"

He shrugged, "I gueth I gave too much a shit about whether he wath okay or not."

"From what I heard, everyone's been laughing about the whole thing."

"Yeah, they laughed thinthe he fell in the water and even after I pulled him out. Not a lot of them were happy with it."

"Maybe he was just embarrassed?"

"Maybe."

He took the plate of food the bartender brought over, handing the first to Karkat and taking the second to himself. He bit into some of it, silently savoring the taste if the meat, while he heard the other continue on about it.

"So what exactly is eating away at you? Cause I'm pretty confused here."

"I don't know mythelf. Gueth it jutht bugth me how they reacted? How he reacted?"

"Geez. You make it sound like you fancy the guy."

Sollux shot him another look for that one, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. That was the second time he heard that joke. "Of courthe, Kk. A dog like me would like another man."

"A dog like you? Please, I've only seen you with Aradia and Feferi, and that's given that Fef wasn't even much, was she?"

"Nah, we were more like friendth than anything elthe."

"You and Aradia had it going for a while, though."

To this he said nothing, and Karkat took it like a hint to stop the conversation about it. They ate away in some silence for a bit. Sollux started hearing some commotion in the back. He heard bits and pieces of conversation going to and fro and didn't mind a single bit of it till he heard someone mention 'Ampora.' He turned around and looked at a man sitting on a barrel with several others laughing and listening around.

"Damn boy-o near drowned, but I heard he got out."

"Yeah, some sap felt bad for'im and dragged'im outta the water."

"Shoulda let'im drown, instead."

The men continued their commotion and Sollux felt a small surge of anger from it. He didn't want to be the sap that stops all their 'fun,' but he wasn't enjoying the subject either. He tried to ignore it, but he knew Karkat probably already took note of this. He left some money on the counter and downed the rest of his tankard, "I'll thee you around, kk"

"You sure-"

"Yeah. Thtop by whenever you need." He gave him a reassuring look, and almost as if making sure the shorter knew he was serious.

If there's anything Sollux did a lot of was look out for Karkat, and he knew that. He nodded in response, watching as Sollux slipped away and headed down along the sandy path. He silently sighed to himself and turned to eat his food, noticing Sollux hadn't even finished his own plate. Is this whole thing really bugging him that bad?

~*~

He ventured away from the town, just heading towards the beaches far off into the dark. He passed through a rather odd road, trying to take his leisurely time with it. Normally, things like this wouldn't have bothered him. He wasn't entirely sure as to why it did. He was never one to care what people thought about anything no matter what he did. Maybe it wasn't that he was bothered by how they acted towards him, but how they reacted to Eridan.

_How bad were the Amporas anyway?_

His thoughts continued till he noticed a tavern towards his right. He gave it a perplexed look. Had he ever seen this one before? It was much different than Tom's. This one was dark wooded and stuffed with people of all the wrong sorts, from the bandits and sellswords to some crewmen dressed in black threads. If they didn't have a tankard in their hands, it was a woman on their lap or even both. There was a thick smell of musk, rum and cigar smoke stinking up the atmosphere.

As he passed the place, he caught a glimpse of someone inside who'd given him a vicious sneer, with some of the dark threads to follow. It's almost as if they were offended by him staring as he walked, looking like a pack of mad dogs ready to attack him. He didn't pay them any mind aside from a respectful nod towards the man's way, who looked like the captain given his clothes in particular. As soon as he could, he turned and disappeared into a much crowdier road, quickening his pace and taking plenty turns in the off chance anything bad was coming his way.

It didn't take him long before he was at a wide, lonesome beach. This wasn't the place he loved going to. Instead, this was the alternative in the off chance he was followed. Normally, he would have gone to a much more secluded beach, one he felt he was the only one who knew about it. None the less, this would do. The sun was passed setting, and the sky just dimmed with the ever so dying flames. He stopped near the water's edge and just remained barely from it's reach, staring at the few strands of orange that still tainted the split from the water and sky.

Had it not been for the annoying moment earlier, as well as the rather frightening moment, this would have been incredible to just enjoy. Instead, he was deep in thought again. He really was bothered by the townspeople's unnecessary 'joking.' So what if Eridan was the son to a nasty character? That didn't mean he was as well, unless they knew something Sollux didn't. He had never even heard of him before. All they ever spoke about was Dualscar all across the board, but Eridan? He never even knew such a name existed.

He sat on the sand just a good enough way from the water's reach, resting his arms on his knees and looking out towards the rolling waves. If there's anything that brought him real ease, it was this. The sound of the waves rolling in on themselves and reaching up towards the sand before they retreated and repeated. The thin, salty smell of the gentle breezes brewing in made it even better, especially given that it was really cool out tonight. Soon the sun would be gone and the sky would be a mess of stars glittering the black of the sky, then he'd be able to savor the constellations he loved so much.

_We'll see how things go, he thought. Maybe it will get better._


	3. Small Talk?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The great man of the town has summoned him, and ironic that he did. Sollux may be putting himself in a bad position!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So far so good, kitties <3
> 
> Let's see how you fancy this chapter and the ones to come :)

There were way more loads this time, and there was no time to stop. They unloading plenty more ships this time, and  
there was no room for singing and drinking like they had done yesterday. Already there were two accidents and they had to  
step it up. Some of the men from near by shops ended up lending a hand with one of the ships. For being an old and run down  
town, the people were nice.

For the most part.

After some hard labor and many hands helping, the ships were unloaded and loaded with new cargo before they  
slowly left the bay. The break came around, or at least having to only work on a single ship, and things were back to normal.

Sollux dropped down on a barrel first with a heavy grunt and doubled over. Someone slammed a drink to his hand and  
laughed, patting his back, "You've done good, boy-o. That was a hard lotta work, but you got it done. Ye deserve a good drink."  
His voice was hard to tone, even a bit raspy.

He laughed and nodded with a "Thankth", taking a swig before he spat it back out with a hard cough. He heard a roar  
of laughter coming form the black coated folk and already knew what had happened. He shot the black coated captain a glare  
and tossed the drink to the floor. It took him a moment to realize exactly who this was and felt a mixture of anger and  
anticipation. This was the man from the odd tavern last night, the one who'd given him the vicious look.

"What's the matter, ya lisping lil do-gooder? Don't like the taste of tainted gold in ya mouth?" all the other black-  
clothed crewmen behind him chuckled, "That's all hard earned, though it's hardly anything. Ya know who's to blame for that?"

Sollux had every right to throw something at this asshole, but he wasn't going to. He sat there on the barrel he was  
on, wanting to just leave, but standing there to listen to this guy out of being respectful. He didn't deserve it, but he might as well  
be the bigger man here, "Dualthcar?"

"Oh, good, he's 'least a lil smart." He said, turning to his crewmen with a cocky posture before turning back to Sollux.  
"And do you know who you saved outta the bay, boy-o?"

"Hith thon." he said, keeping his eyes fixed on the black-threaded man. This guy was one of the worst around the bay.  
He was spiteful and hateful, and wore black to show it, and he felt stupid for not recognizing him last night. He and his crewmen,  
apart from the one little deck-swabber, were nothing but nasty in every which way. Sollux knew the little deck-swabber alll too  
well, and felt a little concerned when he noticed he wasn't around. None the less, he stood to meet eye to eye with the man in  
the darkest of the pirate-like clothing. Angler-Sal was the nickname of this old fart, known well for catching the hefty beasts of  
the waters, not that it really mattered.

That's all he had for his name.

"That's right. He coulda drowned in there, maybe then his father would come out. That or maybe I coulda dragged him  
out meself and gotten good compensation for his rescue."

"Why didn't you?"

He set his jaw side ways a bit, "Because I wasn't around."

"Well you should have been. Now if you don't mind, I gotta go-"

He felt a hand grab his shirt-front and pull him into the saltiest face and alcohol-riden breath he'd ever faced. There  
were marks all over his face from accidental hooks and fights, as well as a pretty long scar from the top of his eye down  
passed his jaw. If he remembered correctly, that was Dualscar's doing, "Listen here, you wretched lil fuck. If you get called  
upon by Dualscar 'imself, you best bet you're goin ta give me some of the loot."

Before he could respond, the black-coat was yanked away from Sollux by a familiar light-blue coat.  
  
Joe.

"The boy's gotta lot o' work to finish, Sal. I suspect ya be respectin' that." Joe said, exchanging a very hard, yet  
casual stare with Angler-Sal.

The black-coated man smirked and chuckled with a nod, "I was jos' tellin 'im he'd done a great job, for a lad."

"Then off with ya."

Their expressions both hardened to cold, steel glares as Sal turned and walked off, leaving Sollux to continue spitting  
in secret and Joe to turn to him next and hand him a wooden tankard, "This isn't what they treated ya, I assure."

"Thankth...." He said, taking a swig. He was thankful to have been met with beer, this time. It washed away whatever  
taste was left.

"What he talk to you about?"

"What'da ya think? The thame thing everyone'th been whithperin' through the town. I'm hated jutht becauthe I helped  
one fuckin' guy."

Joe nodded as he listened, ruffling his hair, "If it makes ya feel any bet'r, I don't hate ya. You did a good lil deed and  
that's more than any of this pisspot fucks have to offer. They stood and watched, but you took action. I say that deserves much  
more than what they're spittin' at ya. Don't worry ya self about them. Ol' Sal's goin' to get what's comin', don't you worry 'bout  
that."

"Damn well hope the thea teacheth him a leththon-"

"Ey, ey, no talk like that 'round me, got it? Never wish the worse on even your enemies, cause then the worse might  
happen to you."

"Wath jutht thaying for it to teach him one, not do him under."  
  
Joe chuckled and patted his back, nodding for him to follow and get back to work.

They'd found themselves sittin and drinking again by the dock, this time it'd cut short to share stories about their wives  
or about their trips around. Ol' Billy had told of how his ventures with the Sea Mud's had gone. They were a simple crew of  
treasure hunting men with hardly any luck, but Billy had told them it'd gone much smoother and they'd actually found something  
worth while. He was telling them he'd be off, eventually, leaving the town and sailing off with them to another land. Some of the  
men joked with him, telling him to share or to take them with him.

Conversations carried on and then someone brought up news about the deck-swabber boy Sollux was curious about  
earlier. He'd left the Black-coats to work with the town's blacksmithing family, the Zahhaks. He silently hoped he was better off  
there, especially considering he was a young and adventurous fella. He thought of paying the boy a visit, so he asked for  
directions and noted it in his mind. It was concerning to hear that the reason he'd left was because he damn near broke his legs  
having fallen off a crow's nest. It wasn't high enough to break his legs entirely or kill him, but it was enough for old man Angler  
Sal to kick him off the ship.

The conversations carried even further to random topics and laughter. It was slightly late, but the sun was still burning  
on the surface of the water far off ahead. Watching the ships rock back and forth in their docks along the bay, Sol's gaze slowly  
drifted to a familiar figure in the distance. They were headed straight towards him and the closer they got, the more the  
dimming sunlight sketched out his features.

_Eridan._

He didn't look pleased and even looked annoyed as he approached Sol. The men hushed as he grew closer and  
watched as he stood there, looking awkward in his purple doublet and hose combination. They looked fit, yet loose and not as  
extravegant as his first ensemble.

"You, come wwith me."

Sollux perked a brow, looking to the others before he turned his attention back to Eridan and pointed to himself.

"Yes, you. My father wwould like to have a talk wwith you." His town wasn't entirely rude, but it wasn't very comforting  
either.

Some of the crewman shot their brows up and looked like they were going to start muttering, but had kept it to  
themselves. They knew better.

"Alright?" he looked to the crew and left his tankard down, standing up and looking to Eridan, "Lead the way." he said  
reassuringly.

And that Eridan did. He turned and started walking, Sollux following after he'd turned to face his fellows and lightly  
shrugged. One gave him a salute, to which Sollux sneered at and kept walking behind Eridan.

They'd headed uphill on a dirt path towards the main roads. The walk was quiet for a bit till Sollux mustered a will to  
speak. He didn't know how to manage a conversation with Eridan, but he had to try something, "Tho what doeth he need?"

Eridan didn't reply, he only kept walking instead.

Sollux perked his brows and mouthed 'okay' to himself. He did look towards Eridan, though. Here was the guy he'd  
saved yesterday, the person a lot of people seemed to dislike, and he didn't know how to even hold a conversation with him. He  
couldn't really think of anything to say other than that.

He heard a sigh from the other and then a response in a low tone, "He wwants to talk to you about yesterday."

"Oh... what about that?"

"He's-... thankful that you helped me, is all."

"How'd he find out?"

Eridan seemed to pinch his nose, "Gee, it's not like I wwent home soaked to the bone, or anythin."

Sollux felt stupid for even asking that, but it was already said and done and he needed to mend it, "Did he get  
upthet?"

Eridan didn't respond to this. Instead, he just kept walking in an odd silence that seemed to say yes.

How angry had his father gotten? And why get angry with him anyway? It's not like it was his fault. Hell, he might have  
even been pushed in, for all he knew. He wasn't going to ask him that, though, "My name'th Tholluxth, by the way."

It took him a little bit before he answered with just a low, "You already know mine, I suppose."

"I do... people theem to talk about you alot."

Once again, the awkward silence.

"Why ith that?"

"... I don't know." He said, stopping in front of a carriage and hopping inside when the door was pulled open by one of  
the two men. Sollux blinked at for a bit before he climbed in and settled down on the cusioned seat. He'd hardly ever ridden on  
these before and it was much more comfortable than any he ever had been on. In moments, they were off towards wherever  
Dualscar lived, and the ride was momentarily uncomfortable.

Eridan was the first to break the silence, this time, "Wwhat, you've nevver been on this before?"

"I have, jutht haven't in a long time."

Eridan gave a smug look, looking out the window, and, for just that moment, Sollux almost wanted to question why  
this guy was of any interest to him in any aspect at all. Now the only question was, what sort of interest, exactly, did he have on  
this guy? He started to remember his conversation with Karkat and started to wonder.

"So"

He was snapped out of his thoughts.

"I wwanted to apologize."

That was unexpected, "For what?"

"I wwas-... rude, yesterday. I didn't mean to sound like such..."

He would have smiled, but he didn't let it through, "Don't worry about that." He looked out the window himself, "I don't  
blame you."

"... And I also wwanted to thank you for savvin me in the first place."

He let his smile show a bit, "No problem."

Eridan looked toward him, or at least he saw from the corner of his eye, and didn't say anything till a moment after,  
"Why did you?"

Sollux returned the glance, "Why wouldn't I?"

"No one else seems to havve wwanted to..." He looked off to the side, looking annoyed, though it was probably more  
hurt than anything.

"I'm not them. I thaw you in the water, thaw them doing nothing, and did what any normal perthon would have done."

They both shared a different silence, now, one much lighter than before, until they'd gotten to a rather huge, gated  
house. The gates were pulled open by guards and in they went. It was a rather huge mansion, with an unnecessarily vast front  
yard. As they pulled into the front of it and were escorted inside, Sollux felt the whole world increase in size around him with  
every step. He'd took a moment to admire the vast decor of royal purple and golden trimmings, the expensive everything. He'd  
never been in a more expensive looking place since Feferi who's mansion was much larger, or at least felt that way.

The double doors had opened into a wide entrance room with countless doors to the sides and pillars decored with  
gold designs along the white marble. There was a huge starecase that spread out like a shell, leading to a split pair of stair  
cases that half spiralled up along the room and up towards the second floor. Up above, he noticed a huge chandelier with clear  
crystal ornaments. Aside from the common structuring, there were countless portraits and decorations all around the dark  
purple walls.

 _I swear to god I might just throw up from all the purple,_ he thought. It didn't stop there, though.

"Come on, he's wwaitin." Eridan said. There wasn't any anger or annoyance on his tone, just a calm hurry-up kind of  
tone.

Sollux nodded and followed behind him, admiring the whole place nonetheless as they passed through a hall or two  
and into a wide study room. Luckily, it was themed more in dark, red-ish wood and a little less purple. Here, a man in expensive  
clothing, that was ALSO purple, sat on a luxurious chair. He was facing out the huge window before him, looking over his view of  
the town before he turned and showed his face. He had an set-jaw kind of face and slicked back, black hair. Sollux noticed he  
had vivid purple eyes, too. At least now he had a clue where Eridan's had come from.

There were two, stretched and jagged edged scars running partly parallel on his face, one from the right brow to the  
lower left chin- his left, the viewer's right, and the other having the same jagged look, but starting from the opposite end: lower  
left chin towards the middle of his brows. Those must have been the scars everyone had mentioned was left by the pirate he'd  
fought before.

"So," He said, his voice was a gruff, low tone that would send chills down spines, though not for Sollux, "You're the  
one that saved my boy, eh?"

"I am" Sollux said, not really sure how else to reply to this aside from that.

Dualscar rose and nodded, "Vwell, then, I'd like to thank you for that." He said, pacing over to pat Sol on the shoulder  
as a thanks, "Eridan, vwhy don't you leave us to talk?" There was a calm, slow way in the form he spoke. Eridan gave an  
annoyed expression, which quickly turned into him walking away when Dualscar gave him a look right back. He'd left out the  
door and closed it behind him. "Anyvway," Dualscar continued, handing Sollux a glass and pouring what looked like wine into it,  
"I assume that, since you vwork vwith the crewmen at Moul Bay, you are old enough to drink?"

"Doeth it really matter? I mean, motht of the kidth around here do much worthe than that." Sollux replied. He wasn't  
rude about it, but was pretty upfront none the less.

"Yes, I do agree. Is that a lisp you hawve?"

"Yeth it ith."

"Good, so vwe're not the only ones vwith an odd speech. And you hawve curious eyes." He said, taking a sip from his  
wine, "Red and blue eyes?"

Sollux chuckled and nodded, "Aye, red and blue. Not at all common eyeth, ith it."

"Not at all, though mine are no different. Anyvway, small talk aside, now."

Small talk?

Dualscar went to stand by the window again, "I hawve simple questions, if you don't mind?" He peered over his  
shoulder at Sollux.

"Not at all..."

"The townsfolk. How do they take to us?"

Uh-oh.

This was definitely something Sollux didn't want to take into too deeply. He didn't like how the townfolk had responded  
to yesterday, but he didn't want to go off and complain to it to the source of their anger. There was no way he was involving  
himself in this, and the longer he took in answering, the worse the suspicion he was going to be given.

"Uth? You mean the Amporath?"

"Yes."

"I've heard interethting thtorieth here and there. I've heard lotth of you, but I've never heard any about Eridan."

Dualscar hadn't responded right away. He did turn to face Sollux, though, leaning against the frame and looking like he  
took an interest, "Go on."

"I've heard oneth of what you do, really. Jutht how you uthe to man shipth way back when and what not, but not really  
a lot? I don't dive hard into other'th converthationth."

"I see. And you've heard nothin of Eridan?"

"Not really."

"And nothing beyond that." His question seemed more like a slight disblieving statement.

Sollux just shook his head as honestly as he could, cause he wasn't necessarily lying, apart from the part about the  
stories being good ones.

Dualscar sipped at his wine, nodding and watching Sollux with casual, yet close, eyes till he settled his glass down,  
"Vwell, that's good to know."

Saved, or so he thought.

"I'd like to ask a favor of you, now."

_Great._

"If you ever see Eridan in trouble, do try your best to assist him?"

"That'th fine by me, but... why would he need athithtanthe?"

He wasn't entirely sure, but he could swear he saw Dualscar flinch if even a little. Maybe it was more a quick and  
sudden tension than anything else, "I simply vwant to make sure my boy is safe." Sollux nodded and both of them stood there  
for what felt like a very-uncomfortable-forever till Dualscar continued, "Vwell that's about all I need from you. If you ever find  
yourself in any sort of trouble you are more than vwelcome here." He said with a smile. Somehow, it didn't seem threatening,  
but not necessarily warm either. He looked obligated to state that.

"If you ever need me I'll be 'round ath well, thir." Silently, he felt obligated to resopnd with that and it didn't seem like a  
response he really wanted to say, though he played it out well.

When they stepped out of the room, Sollux had gone out first. In a split second, he saw Eridan quickly recover from  
having listened in through the door and act normal. He was lucky it was Sollux who'd come out first, and that he was the only  
one that stepped out. The door closed behind Sollux and they were both standing there, Eridan and him.

"Wwell?"

"What?"

"Wwhat happened?"

"Why doeth it matter?" he smirked, feeling like the triumphant one, now, and even more so when Eridan gave a  
frustrated look.

"Because I need to know!"

He nodded away from the door, which took Eridan a moment to register that this meant they should go somewhere else, to which he lead Sollux out towards a door to the outside.

~*~

They were in a vast courtyard, now. It looked like a square cut off from the very middle of the whole mansion with a  
neatly kept garden and a pond. The pond had a marvelous looking fountain right in the middle, taking shape of what was a woman holding two vases of pouring water, which was where the water came out from. He took note of the fountain figure, having seen soemthing similar in his astrology books he'd kept safely tucked away in his home: the symbol of Aquarius. Maybe the Amporas were Aquarius like how he was Gemini?

There were thin vine plants running up along the columns off to the sides, choked with vibrantly purple lily-like flowers. All around there were these flowers, flowers Sollux had never once seen in his life. He wondered if they were even native to the island. Eridan was the first walk over towards the pond, Sollux following behind, and turn to him. Sollux walked over and looked into the pond, seeing several Koi fish swiming about their business. Now that he knew wasn't native to the island. These were probably imported from who knows where. Fish like those wouldn't be found in any of the sweet water* sources, let alone the salt water.

"Alright, wwe're outside wwhere he can't hear. Now, tell me."

Sollux allowed himself to smile even a bit, "He wath jutht telling me about how he'th glad that I helped you."

"Oh, rubbish. There wwas more to that convversation and I wwant to knoww."

"Why?"

He sat at the stone edge of the pond, pinching the bridge of his nose and made a sound that seemed like a growl,  
"Must you question evverythin?"

"Yeth" he kept a playful smirk, to which he received a silent glare for. Sollux chuckled and sat down at the edge of the  
pond near him, "He wath worried about you."

Eridan looked up at him and let go of his nose, suddenly intent on listening.

"He told me to help you whenever you needed it."

"And wwhat did you say?"

"That I would. I don't thee why not."

Eridan's expression loosened up a bit, but then tightened back with curiosity at the rest, "And wwhat else did he say?"

Now is when Sollux took a slow breath, watching Eridan before he looked down at nowhere, "He athked me what the  
townfolk thought of you guyth."

"And?"

He gave a light shrug, "I told him that I've never heard of you guyth and that the only thtorieth I've heard were good  
oneth of him."

Eridan scoffed, shaking his head and looking away with foul amusement. He took a moment to process before he  
turned his attention back to him, "And wwas that true?"

"Partly."

His brows creased with question, "Wwhat parts?"

"I've only ever heard of him."

"Oh..."

He looked hurt from that, now, and Sollux felt the need to fix it, "If it'th any conthelation, I don't dig deep into gothip."  
He gave him a reassuring look when he looked back up at him, "I've never known anything athide from bitth and pietheth of your  
dad. Even then, I don't dive into the topicth. My mind ith alwayth elthewhere."

"And wwhere wwould that be?"

Sollux gave a soft shrug, "Jutht other thingth, nothing really grand." He looked around the place and then back to  
Eridan.

Eridan seemed to silently think over their entire conversation before he slowly perked his chin and extended a hand to  
Sollux, "Wwell I suppose I should do this properly. My name is Eridan Ampora."

Sollux blinked at him for a moment, looking at Eridan's hand, which had a golden ring on every finger, before allowing  
a small smile and extending his hand back to shake his. His hand only had a ring or two, "Nithe to meet you, Ed. My  
name'th Tholluxth. Tholluxth Captor."

"Ed?"

"Yeah, jutht a short of your name. Ith... that okay?"

"I-.. suppose so. In that case, I'll call you Sol."

"Workth for me."

Eridan actually smiled, in a way, before he looked around and thought for a moment, "Wwell, since you're here, you  
wwant to take a quick look around before you go?"

"Sure."

Both young men got up and went back inside where Eridan lead him around the place and they'd share small bits of  
conversation that carried off for more than just a 'quick look around.' In fact, they'd ended up in a good hour's worth of conversation about the place in general and their childhood. Sol shared stories of how he'd never gotten along with his family, to which he didn't specify, and Eridan of his unspecified stories as well. They'd found small little similarities, though, and carried into conversations about Eridan's home. It wasn't long before nightfall had hit and Sollux was soon taken home. The day ended on a good note, and he couldn't have been happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Sweet water-   
> The reason I called it sweet water, and not freshwater, is because I heard once in a medieval themed movie a man calling it sweet water. I figured it'd fit nicely in this, so I put that instead. I'm not entirely sure if that /is/ the way they called freshwater back then, or if they even had a different name for it at all, but it's just a little thing.
> 
> Just thought I'd clarify.


	4. "Wwhat are you doin here?"

  
"Tho hith father requethted me."

Karkat near spat out the drink he had on his mouth, giving Sollux a weird look, "He invited you to their place?"

Sollux put down the tool he'd been using on a strange little gadget. This time around, they were here in Sol's place, since it was the best place to chat about this sort of thing and _not_ get hated for whatever they were going to say about all this. They'd been here since pretty much evening, right after Sollux had finished his work by the bay, "Yeah, he did."

"What he did he say?"

"He wath jutht telling me about how he wath thankful for me thaving Ed, ith all. He athked me to help him out whenever he needed and I offered him the thame. He theemed pretty alright-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's backtrack a little bit. Okay? Okay. First of all, _Ed_? Where did 'Ed' come from?"

Sollux rolled his eyes and turned to work on his gadget again, "A short of hith name. You know, like how I call you Kk?"

"Yeah, but that's because you've known me for a long time. You've just met this guy. Does he call you anything?"

"He called me Thol."

Karkat threw his hands up as he got up from his stool, "Oh that's just perfect. What, did you guys share a tankard and a nice warm bed already?"

"Kk, for hell'th thake. I don't want to thay Eridan or Ampora all the time, tho I figure jutht calling him Ed would work fine. It'th the thame for him. He doethn't mind it, tho why not?"

"Oh my god. Do you hear yourself? You sound like you know the guy!"

"Tho?"  
  
Karkat was about to start off ranting about how he'd only just met the guy and the differences from how he'd call him by a nickname versus Eridan until his mind clicked and he found himself glaring at Sollux, " _You like him._ "

He nearly choked on his own tankard, "Kk, would you thtop! I don't like the guy!"

"My arse, ya don't. You like him and ya know it!"

"In cathe your eyeth aren't functioning right, he'th a man!"

"What does that matter?"

"I-..." He perked a brow up at Karkat and was confused for a moment, "... what?"

Karkat flushed a bit, but kept his stubborn expression, "What does it matter if he's a guy?" He asked, his voice much clearer on purpose, "If you like the person for their personality, what does anything else matter?"

"I mean... wouldn't it be odd...?"

"Not at all... Do _you_ find it odd?"

"I... don't know how to properly rethpond to that... I mean... to the common folk, it ith odd..."

"But is it to you?"

Sollux looked confused, almost as if he'd seen a puzzle he couldn't solve for once. He really took a moment to think about it, but never came with a response.  
Instead, Karkat continued to talk about it, "Look at it this way. You meet someone who has an incredible personality, have the same interests as you and you get along incredibly well to where it's almost a dream. Would sex really get in the way of that?"

"You mean like how we are?"

"Yes, exa-..." He paused for a moment to register what he just said and felt his cheeks burn a bit from it. He looked away and scratched the back of his head, "... exactly." Before Sollux could reply, Karkat took the last swig of his drink and grabbed his vest, "I gotta go." and ran out the door.

Sollux ran after him, but stopped at the door, "Kk!!"

He watched him disappear into the crowd. There was no way he was going to chase that little rogue. He knew better than that. Instead, he closed his door and stood against it. This whole situation seemed like one hell of a punch to the jaw he still needed time to process, and it wasn't coming through. It wasn't fully registering.  
He slowly started to process the whole conversation, but there were two confusing factors: Did he like Eridan? Was him being a male really an issue?

No, there was more than that.

That last part, the whole reason Karkat even left...

Did Kk...

He needed a drink. He needed to think over everything.

No. He needed to just get drunk enough to forget, but it was way to early in the day for that. Even on his day off he was still working, though it was just thinking.

~*~

He found himself wandering off through the streets and, instead of drinking, went to his place of sanctuary, the only place he could possibly think things through: Crescent-Moon Shore. It was the only place he usually never found anyone else in. It was a beach secluded from the rest of the town by a huge stone wall, with only one way in and out. The whole wall of stone was covered by mossy green and dotted with various plants. It pretty much looked like your average cliff side, and the small arch entrance was hidden very well.The entrance was a nature-made arch mostly covered by brush and thick ferns, thick enough that most people didn't even bother trying to get through, or at least that's what he thought. The entrance to the place was a hassle, though, but that never stopped Sollux. He walked through the thick brush and ended up smiling at the familiar sight of the crescent-moon-curved beach. 

Aside from the tilted bowl shape and thick foliage that cluttered half of the background, there was a single huge tree that stretched upwards, thought not high enough to reach over the walls. It was tilted, wide and cluttered with vine like branches that bled down into the sand. Given the many storms, it even formed a small cave like structure in it's uprooted base. Sol just liked to call it the Peeker's Bane, the best place to take the one you fancy to hide from the rest of the world.

He found his favorite flat-rock and sat at it's edge, watching as the water barely even reach up to it. The water would stretch far up before curling around small, odd pebbles in the sand as it went back down. Little crabs and tiny colorful fish littered the partly enclosed water. The high stone walls surrounded like a bowl, only the walls seemed to descend into the water to somewhat close it off. It still connected with the ocean, but by a dinghy's width. With how low the sun was and the rich, yet smooth smell of the ocean, this was absolutely perfect. He sat there for a moment, silently gathering his thoughts.

Did he _like_ Eridan?

How odd would it be if he did? No, he didn't find it odd. He had to be perfectly honest with himself. The only reason it would be odd would be because of how everyone might look at it, but that never mattered to him. He'd done much worse in his life for anyone's opinion to sway his desires, but was Eridan really a desire? What if he did like him, it's not like _he_ would agree to it, would he? He had no clue if Eridan would even be interested in him like that. What would Eridan even think of it?

"Arghh..." he grumbled to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. He laid back on the rock so he could stare up at the lightly glittered sky. The sun was gone enough to show the small bits of stars that started to show across the vast dark blue, and only revealed more the further the sun went. He could stare at this forever, lose himself in the constellations above with no problem at all. Hell, he could sleep here and he'd be fine, or so he was sure. He wouldn't do it, though. There were all sorts of dangers here and being here as it is was a danger in itself. He risked it, though. He needed time to think, space to think, out in the open where the wind could ease him, yet perfectly out of sight.

Slowly the thought of the last bit took his mind.

Why did Karkat leave like that? And what he'd said at the last second grew concerning. Did Karkat have a thing for him...? When the hell had this even happened and why had he not told him before? And what would he do now? Karkat pretty much figured, even before Sollux himself, that Sol had a thing for Eridan, but he seems okay with it. He was going to find a sit that rogue down whether he liked it or not. 

Tomorrow, though. Right now, he just needed to relax-

"Sol?"

The familiar voice sent a chill down Sollux's spine, but only because he hadn't expected to hear it. He quickly sat up and saw the familiar's face, "Ed?"

"Wwhat are you doin here?" He asked, looking even more casual than usual. He wore nothing but a puffy white shirt with a laced wedge on the neckline and casual pants and boots. He looked just as casual as Sollux did, though Sol wore his sleeveless top over his.

"I... come here now and then. It'th thort of my 'get-away' plathe" he lightly chuckled, scruffing at the back of his head.

Eridan perked a brow, keeping his hands in his pockets, "Funny you should say that, because I do too."

"Really? Thinthe when...?"

"I've actually alwways come here." He said, turning his head to watch the water's waves stretch up to his boots before curling away back into the ocean, "I saw you here and I wwondered wwhy." He'd turned his attention back to him.

Sollux gave a soft smile and moved over on the rock so Eridan could sit.

It took him a second to consider it, but took the spot none the less.

"Well, what brought you here thith time...?" he softly asked, moving to lay down on his side and hold up on an elbow.

Eridan stared at the water in some silence before he gave a soft sigh, "I wwas just thinkin."

" 'Bout?"

"... The other day and... yesterday..." he shrugged.

Sollux gave a confused look, "You want to talk about it?"

"I... don't know. I'vve nevver really talked to anyone about anythin, really."

Sollux thought for a moment and sat up and crossed-legged, "Well," he started, waiting for the other to look at him. He raised his hands to say "You can talk to me." before he dropping them back down.

Eridan looked at him for a bit, studying him before he eventually sighed a succumbed to speaking, "I just really wwish I knew wwhat wwas so bad about me. I really wwish I knew wwhy people treat me the wway they do." He didn't sound sad, not necessarily. In fact, he looked more annoyed at the whole thing than anything else, "I get it. I'm the son to the bastard who wwon't help his folks in town, but wwhat do I havve to do wwith it?" He turned to Sollux, looking like he expected an answer.

Sollux thought about it for a moment before he softly replied, "If it'th any conthelation, I don't hate you. In fact, thothe folkth annoy me whenever they talk ill about you or the fact that I thaved you."

"They... hate you for that?" he looked oddly suprised.

"Heh... thome of them. Not all of them, but a plentiful lot. I don't care for it, for sure. I did what they didn't and that'th more than enough for me. Whether you be the thon of a low-payin fuck or the devil himthelf, I don't care. I don't know you, tho I can't athume you're like your father. Not to mention, he doethn't theem all that bad," he paused when Eridan snorted and added, "From what I thaw."

"My father's a natural born pisspot, is wwhat he is. He's not all that great, so I do havve to agree wwith the townfolk."

Sollux just looked at him for a moment, "Why?"

Eridan didn't respond to this. He stared at the water and managed to say "Let's just leavve it at the fact that he isn't the greatest father."

Sollux nodded and sat forward with Eridan, "Alright."

The two sat there, watching the waves reach as far as they could before the curled and retreated, each silently amused by the sight of it and even smiling a bit to it. By now, the sun was gone and the moon was finally starting to shine on the water. There were small, transparent fish in the water whom almost seemed to glow from the moon's light, dotting the water all around. Sollux looked up and smiled at the sight of the moon, though, "Tith a full moon out, tonight."

Eridan looked up, "So it is..."

Sollux looked at him while he was distracted, studying him for a moment before he turned away and back at the water. There was no way he could up and just tell him, and there was no denying it, now, that it was true. Considering the little butterfly feeling in his stomach, he might just actually like this guy. The thought of him being a guy in the first place honestly didn't seem too odd. Sollux wasn't the type of person to care about trivial things, and especially considering the 'oddity' in this is really just what society taught. Sollux was about the last person in the world to even so care about with the common folk would think, but yes what Ed himself thought.

"Sol?"

He snapped out of it, but casually looked at Eridan, "Hmm?"

"Wwhat are you thinkin about?"

"Oh" he shook his head, "Nothing really, jutht about thome thtuff."

"Like wwhat?"

He gave him a look that read 'really?' like, was he really digging that deep? "About my thecond job."

When Eridan perked a brow, Sollux only chuckled and looked back at the water. "Wwhat is this second job?"

"Ah, you thee, that one I can't share."

"Wwhat? Wwhy not?" he looked annoyed, or so his face showed as such.

He chuckled, "Becauthe it'th a thecret."

"I can keep secrets!" He looked like he near pouted, but kept his stubborn expression.

Sollux couldn't help the tiny voice in the back of his head saying that this was actually rather cute. God, he was really hoping he wasn't going to start acting like those romantic saps he and his friends poked jokes at. The jokes were for fun, of course, not actually insulting. Nonetheless, he didn't want to be their next victim, anytime soon.

He smiled and turned to look away, "I don't knooow, Ed, I jutht met you"

"Just met me and already savved me from drownin."

He gave him a look, for that one, "Oh, come on. You're not going to go ath low ath uthing that againtht me, now, are ya?"

"If it gets me wwhat I wwant, then yes, I wwill."

 _If it gets him what he wants._ He scoffed and thought for a moment. What did he really have to lose? He'd always kept his inventions a secret so that no one else would steal them from him, but Karkat knew about them and was the only one that did. He suspected one more person wouldn't hurt, but was he really going to take a chance with someone he just met? He looked at him for a moment, studying his hopeful purple eyes and let out a soft sigh, which Eridan looked even more hopeful towards, "... I'm an inventor."

He perked his brows, "An invventor?"

_Oh my fucking god, that was cute._

Great.

He really was becoming like those lovey-dovey saps.

"Yeah, I am."

"Wwhat kind of things do you make?"

"It'th jutht thilly little machineth that probably won't end up working. Thometimeth all I really do ith jutht make random little thculptureth or buildth that aren't for anything but decoration."

"Can I see them?"

Now that was something he had to stop and look at Eridan for. Invite him over? To his place? Where they could really be alone? That was a thought Sollux couldn't help but want, if only it wasn't for the fact that it was to see his inventions. He really thought hard about this, or at least he would have, had he not remembered yesterday. Eridan did show him around the house even though it wasn't necessary, so wouldn't it be fair? His house wasn't even that big or fancy to begin with. It would kind of be embarrassing... no. It wasn't embarrassing, it was just what he could afford. 

After a second's thought he smiled and nodded, "Sure." Hoping off the rock and offering Eridan a hand, to which he looked at, but didn't take. Now that. That was slightly embarrassing. 

This was going to be a long night.


	5. "BY TWO INCHES!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sollux decides to take a leap of faith, and a little someone doesn't like it.
> 
> Let the friendly, casual arguments begin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just going to toss in a favorite (Highest, favorite) ship of mine before I decide to make this an official EriSol fanfic. Hope you guys don't mind! <3

Music and loud laughs came from an old tavern, much different from Tom's. This was more than just a place for drink. Inside, men were laughing, dancing to music or just passing around stories, and, when it wasn't stories, woman and drinks all around. Crewmen and captains alike all cluttered the tavern like packed sardines, as well as loosely clothed women.

Off towards a wide corner were the black-threaded crewman, all laughing while Angler Sal told a long story. He had a woman on his lap, wrapped in an arm, and a tankard in his free hand. His voice rang out in a hard and scratchy like usual, telling tales about the days he'd bring in the largest sharks and monsters the sea had to offer.

"What about that time you took out the ship and their deck-swabber was begging for mercy?" said one of the crewman off to the side.

"Aye, aye, he was beggin, alright, said if I let him go that he wouldn't tell a soul."

"What did you do?" asked the woman on his lap.

"I took him into the crew, told 'im it was the only mercy I'd show'im."

"Where is he now?"

"He fell off the crow's nest." He heard he gasp and scoffed, "The boy lived. He works elsewhere, now. I think his name was Tavi or somethin'"

"Tavros, sir."

"Doesn't matter!"

Another man wearing their same attire walked into the tavern and towards Sal, waving to him to catch his attention. When he finally did, he signaled him to come outside. Sal looked towards him, breaking eye contact with the crewmen who'd just corrected him, and waved at him to come over, "Whatever it be, it can be said in front of my crew, ah?" he laughed, welcoming the kid with a half-assed smile.

The other walked towards him, slightly wobbly, and looking rather nervous, if you focused well enough on him, "Sir, I don't think that would be a good idea. It be bad news, I bring."

Sal's smile went away, replaced by a slow build of vexation, "And what news be that?"

"I-It's Captor, sir."

"What about him?"

"I've got word that he went to Ampora's house."

Sal's vexation only grew into a vicious anger he tried hard to cover with a fake kindness, "And will he be contacting me?"

"I don't think so, sir. I was told Dualscar wishes for him to watch over his son."

"And did Captor not receive any particular reward for this?"

"No, sir."

"BAH! Blasted grudge won't even pay up someone who saved the heir to his worthless lil throne." he muttered half to himself, sneering and taking a long gulp of his tankard. He shoved the woman off his lap so he could turn to the table a bit more. He ignored her scoffing and walking away, focused more on his own thoughts, "Guess we'll have to get 'im to pay attention a different manner."

~*~

They'd rushed into Sol's place in time to avoid the starting rain. Moments ago, they sky looked fine, despite all the clouds.

Well... that was probably why.

Now Sol felt stupid for even wondering why it started, but that was a small thought. He picked up a cloth from his stack and handed it to Eridan, "Here. Dry up before you get cold."

"Pretty late on that one," he started, rubbing his arms to get warmer, stopping to realize he sounded a little rude, "Thanks."

Sollux just smiled and nodded, taking one for himself and drying up his hair first. He walked over towards the dining table and pulled out one of the chairs. He hung the towel from his neck and stood there as if offering the chair to Eridan, "Not the motht accommodating plathe, but it'th thtill thomething?"

Eridan looked about as he walked in closer. Normally, he would have been rude about it, compare the person's place to his own and spit out any commentary he possibly could, but he felt the need to be slightly kinder to Sollux, "It's a nice place."

Sollux perked a brow and watched as Eridan took the seat, "No need to lie to a lowly bay boy." He said, not at all insulted.

"I'm not! It's pretty nice."

Sollux rolled his eyes and reached for his cabinets, "Anything you'd like to drink or eat?"

"If you havve some, wwine wwould be nice?"

Sollux pulled out a bottle and glasses. The glasses weren't fancy like the Amporas, but they were fit well for wine none the less. He brought it over, filling both their glasses before offering him one, "Now that, I can provide."

He took his seat near him and took a swig of his glass. Eridan twirled the red drink in his glass before he took a bit of a sip. He perked his brows and looked at Sollux with question, "Wwhere'd you buy this?"

Sollux smirked, taking another drink, "I didn't. A friend of mine gave it to me."

"And wwhere'd he get it?"

Sollux perked his brows at him and kept his smirk, "I'm afraid that one won't be anthwered."

"So he stole it?" He said, drinking some again.

Sollux settled the glass down and reached to offer Eridan more, "Curiouth one, aren't you?"

He smirked right back and took the offer, lowering his glass to fill some, "Afraid so, but you'vve nothin to wworry about wwith me. I won't tell a soul."

"We'll thee about that" he chuckled, downing more before he settled his glass down and patted his hands down onto his knees, "Tho, what would you like to do?"

"Wwell, you said you'd showw me your invventions."

Sollux looked down at floor boards and gave an unsure nod, "Aye, I did." he looked up at him and studied him for a moment, silently debating whether or not he was really willing to take a chance. He did like this man, for whatever reason, but that didn't mean he'd tear open his chest and hand him his life. He still had reason to be cautious, or at least that's what life had taught him.

He took a deep, slow breath and got up to walk towards a door. He reached for the door, but paused for a moment. He straightened and turned to Eridan, "Thith way, then."

He gave a curious look before settling down his glass and walking over to where Sollux was.

Sollux let him first, walking in after him and closing the door behind them. He watched as Eridan looked about the wide room, taking slow steps along wherever he had enough space. There were several functions and pieces all around, and definitely plenty of boxes filled with parts and tools. There were silly things from altered carriage wheels to little odd tools, scraps and useless instruments all around the place.

"Wwhat is all of this?"

Sollux stood there, trying to remain as calm as he could. Having shown him everything at all had made him nervous, but slowly he eased up, "They're jutht... little thingth I do, I gueth. Not really inventionth ath much ath... I don't know." he nervously chuckled, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Eridan walked about, running his hands about the little knick knacks and taking an actual interest in them, "it's all rather interesting." He said, though he sounded distracted. He stopped to turn and look at Sollux with more curiosity, "Wwhy do you wwork at the _bay_? You could sell some a this and make so much more than wwhat you do."

"I don't really think I would..." He said, looking slightly shy, though he tried his best to keep his cool.

"Are you kiddin me? _I'd_ buy plenty of this from you." he picked up one of Sol's interesting looking scopes, studying it's decor and functions, "This I'd definitely buy."

"Like I thaid, they're not nethetharily inventionth ath much ath they are-"

"Art?"

Sollux paused midway of what he was going to say, though not sure what, and gave an odd look, "Art?"

"I mean, that's wwhat it seems like. Yes, you're improvvin the functions, but you're also addin to it."

"I never... thought of it that way.." he smiled a little, walking in to stand near Eridan and watch at how interested he seemed.

Eridan smiled at him a bit, looking back down to the scope. He turned it in his hands, his fingers following along the little golden designs Sol had formed over it's original shape. He closed it up and the opened it again, amused of how well it still functioned, "Wwell, that's wwhat it seems like." he said, closing up the scope again, "And I get to keep this one."

Sollux scoffed, playfully trying to snatch it back from him, "Thayth who?"

"Says me" he said proudly, giving Sollux a determined expression.

Sollux rolled his eyes with a playful sigh, looking back at him and at the scope. He wasn't really attached to it, so he figured he might as well. That and it meant he'd technically given Eridan a gift, in a way. He quickly ignored the silly feeling he got from the thought and distracted himself from it, "Fine, but only that one" he pointed a warning finger, half jokingly.

"Mmm, I'll think about it." Eridan had responded, bouncing off in step to look around some more.

Sollux lifted a brow and watched him, enjoying this much more than he thought he would. He thought this was actually pretty amusing, and rather cute. Even Karkat didn't act like this about his stuff, though it didn't mean Karkat didn't like it. He mostly pushed Sol to doing more, always telling him to continue despite whatever he thought of it, which Sol usually criticized his own work most of the time nonetheless. This was different, though, and he liked it.

~*~

"You what?!"

"Kk, don't thtart with me, I thimply-"

"You showed him something only I'm allowed to see! You showed him something you NEVER show ANYONE but me! Hell, I'm fucking glad I was even anyone you'd shown. Do you realize how long it took you before you actually showed me?! This is utter piss!" He said, walking about the dining room, throwing his hands up and angrily turning to Sollux, "It took you six fucking months to show me! And that was after knowing you for years!"

"Kk, pleathe!" He looked at him, looking tired from having spent the past hour talking to him about this, "Jutht  
lithten to me."

"What? What could you _possibly_ say to mend this?"

Sollux opened his mouth to speak, but felt his throat constrict. This was just another of their half-serious arguments, the kind that didn't _really_ mean they were angry, but just bugged, or at least Karkat's way of expressing it. He took a moment to think and softly sighed, "I wanted to take a chanthe for onthe..."

Karkat gave him a look and scoffed, "A chance? With someone you _just_ met. Why didn't you ever take that  
chance with me?"

"Gee, I don't fucking know, becauthe at the time yearth back I wath back thtabbed left and right? I didn't want anyone to ever find out, but I dethided to show you. And not to mention, what wath that thing you thaid yethterday?"

"What are you talking about-"

He stood as he said, "Our chat yethterday."

Karkat's mouth slowly closed, staring at him for a moment, "... what about it..?"

"What you thaid to me... When were you going to tell me that? Or were you even at all?" Sollux kept his eyes locked on Karkat's, looking to and from eye to eye. For the most part, the atmosphere wasn't real anger or anything but their usual discussions. The only difference was that Sollux had just struck a sensitive topic, or so he felt. He'd just come from working by the bay, today, chatted with him like they usually do, and this is what their conversation had lead to.

_Geezus._

Karkat looked right back, clenched his jaw a little and feeling slightly nervous of it. He didn't want to talk about this. He hadn't ever wanted to end up in this sort of conversation with Sollux, but it was here and he had no choice. He threw his arms up and let them fall, "I don't know" his voice broke a bit. When Sollux hadn't said anything, he slipped his hands into his pockets and looked down, "I was never going to tell you."

Somehow, Sollux felt hurt by this, "Why...?"

"Just my own stupid reasons. Don't worry about it."

"Kk, would you jutht fucking tell me?" he said, not really exasperated about it.

Karkat gave him a look and didn't respond for a while, not knowing how to respond at all. He figured there was no helping it, though, "I didn't want to-...." he started, not being able to say it, "It's just-... argh. I didn't want to lose you, okay?" he growled, crossing his arms and turning away a bit.

Sollux's brows lifted a bit and he stared at him in a bit of silence. He couldn't help a small smile, leaning his head against his hand on the table, "That'th it?"

Karkat's eyes widened a bit and he snapped towards Sollux, " _'That'th it?'_ " he quoted, " _'That'th it?'_ Of course that's fucking it! What the hell else could it be? And why are you smirking about this? I didn't want to lose your idiot ass so I kept it from you thinking that if you knew, you'd think I was some fucking monster from theseas!"

"Kk."

"What?!"

"You are a monthter from the thea" he smiled at him, teasing him a bit, "But you're my monthter. My little, thnappy, thtubburn ath monthter."  
  
"LITTLE?! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN BY LITTLE?!"

Sollux rolled his eyes, cutting his rant off before it even started, "You're thtill my betht friend, you idiot, and I acthept you ath you are."

Karkat grumbled, turning his face away again. This time, though, he felt arms pick him up into the air in a bridal manner then spinning him around. All he could do was flail and shout at the idiot who'd done it while he'd laughed at Karkat's frustration.

Sollux continued to twirl him till he settled him down and laughed, dodge his punches and ignoring half of his retorts about it, "Kk"

"IF YOU EVER DO THAT I SWEAR, I WILL END YOU!"

"KK!" Sollux grabbed him by the shoulders, almost immediately shutting him up.

"What...?" Karkat froze a bit, realizing how close he was.

"I won't ever leave your thide, you moron. I've been here thinthe forever and I intend to thtay. Even if you push me away, or try to cull me." he smiled, the warmth on his face showing all the genuineness he needed to prove his point. "You've alwayth been a great friend to me and I don't ever intend to ruin that. The bond we have ith like no other and there ith no one that will change that. You got it?"

"I-..." he stared at him for a moment, blushing a bit before he gathered himself up and shoved him away, "Don't be tho god damn mooshy about it..." he looked to the side with his grumby expression, despite the hot red face he had.

Sollux couldn't help but pull him into a hug and chuckle, "You like that mooshy shit."

"Not the point..." he muffled into his shoulder, hugging him back.

He held him dear before he slipped away from it a bit to give him a reassured look, though it faded a bit, "But now... what'th going to happen..?"

"What do you mean what's going to happen? With what?" he said, their arms still holding one another, to which they mustn't have noticed.

"I mean... I like Ed... but you like me..."

"So? Is that suppose to change anything?"

Sollux's eyes went a little surprised, but concerned, "Yeah, I mean, what are.. we going to do?"

Karkat shoved his arms away, "Nothing, you moron, you're going to go after that sorry excuse for a human being and I'll get on with life right by your side. You did say that you wouldn't let me go from your side, did you not? You're keeping to that shit."

His face slowly melted back to the warm expression he had before, and Karkat saw every bit of it. He knew he was never going to lose this guy and he was never going to give him away. Had Eridan not been in the picture, he might as well have taken this to a much higher level than just their friendship, which brought a curious thought to mind he knew he could toy with, "Tho, what, you don't have any dethireth?"

Karkat lifted a very confused brow at this, "What the hell do you mean by desires?"

"You know, never wanted anything from me in particular?" he lifted a brow, giving him a playfully smug look.

"The fuck is that suppose to mean?"

"I don't know, you tell me. You were blushing awfully bright when I wath tho clothe to you."

Karkat's blush came right back and he'd almost snapped with angry bashfulness, "YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP. I DID NO SUCH THING!"

"Mmm, I thay you did. Jutht like now." he said, bringing his face a little closer, "And even more the clother I get."

Karkat would have almost punched, had it not been for that freeze-in-the-moment feeling again. He wanted badly to shove him away and yell even more, but he felt his words stumble, "LISTEN, YOU, I-... I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do you?"

He met his eyes for a long moment and sighed with a grumble. He didn't know what to say about it. He was blushing, and especially whenever Sollux was so close, but that was because of the thoughts in his mind. Of course he had desires! He wanted to grab his stupid face and just-

Oh god...

He wanted to kiss, Sollux.

"Look. Maybe I do, but it's not like I'm going to act on them."

"I don't thee anything wrong with it." He smiled when Karkat looked at him surprised, "but jutht onthe" he winked.

Karkat would have exploded about the wink, but his eyes locked onto Sollux's before they flickered down to his lips. He almost stared too long before ripping his sights away from them and crossing his arms. This kind of moment only made him a little worse with blushing, but he tried hard not to let it show. Then Sollux just had to do what he did next, press their foreheads together. All he could manage was a small little "Why?"

"Becauthe I feel I owe you that much... and becauthe maybe I'm curiouth mythelf."

Karkat gave that stubborn, angry expression, but didn't explode. Instead he started his 'angry' tone just above a whisper, "I am not about to become your experiment, you total a-" His words were cut off by the swift, but gentle movement of Sol's lips meeting his. He stood there for a rather annoyingly long time, or what felt like it, shocked and frozen in place before he actually managed to breath little shuttering breaths through his nose and kiss back.

Sollux brought him in close, looping an arm around Karkat's back and holding his cheek with his other hand, to deepen the kiss. He settled deeply into just feeling the warmth of him, his shakey breathes against his skin and the tight hold Karkat had on his shirt in a small effort to tug him closer. He molded his lips with Karkat's for what felt like forever, savoring the whole moment before he started to pull away.

They both shared a very speechless moment, red-faced and letting their breaths tangle with one another's. Sollux could feel his own heart thumb hard against his chest, and only imagined how Karkat's might have been. He settled his forehead against Karkat's, closing his eyes and smiling ever so softly.

"What are you smiling about?" Karkat's voice had come out so soft and raspy, almost as if he really didn't have the breath to speak above a broken whisper.

"It wath nithe." Sollux's voice was no different, having come out in a husky tone. He gently ran a thumb along Karkat's cheek, eyes still locked onto his glowing rubies with his own mix-matched ones. For a moment, he thought he'd seen Karkat smile a bit.

"It was..." he agreed, and he did smile, even if a little bit.

"Any shorter, and I would actually have to lean over you." he lightly teased, laughing a bit when Karkat had shoved him off.

"HA HA, very funny." And his familiar voice was back, "We're not all that different in height, you know!"

"Yeah, but I thtill like to teathe you about it" he chuckled.

"It's only two inches! It's a two-fucking-inch difference!"

"Thtill maketh me taller."

"BY TWO INCHES!"

He laughed a bit again and looked at him.

"We are not having another lovey-dovey-eyed look again, do you hear me? This NEVER happened!"

"Oh it totally did"

"Did not!"

"Whatever you thay. It wath pretty fun theeing you tho quiet for onthe." He knew he'd tripped over the wrong tease, cause Karkat gave him that angry look and looked like he was about to throw something at him.

"YOU. ARE SO LUCKY. THAT I CAN'T-... can't be angry right now." His face was burning red again, and Sollux couldn't help but love it.

"Hey"

"WHAT?!"

"We should walk around, today."

Karkat went to open his mouth to speak, but was caught off guard, "I-... wait, what? What do you mean?"

"I mean," he walked towards the small sitting area he head, grabbing his vest and slipping it on, "We should jutht walk around town today, hang out, eat thomething good thomewhere that ithn't the tavern. What do you thay?" He buttoned the vest on and waited for Karkat's response.

"You know what?" he thought for a moment and sighed, "That doesn't sound like a bad idea. I guess we can go do that."

"Great! Thlip your bootth on and let'th go."

Before they stepped out, Karkat stopped him, "Wait."

He didn't allow Sollux even a quick chance to say anything, having kissed him for a quick moment before slowly letting go and walking out the door. Sollux followed him with his eyes, blushing a bit and smiling, "What wath that for?"

"What was what for? Let's go! If it rains and we get caught in it, I'm blaming you!"

He figured it was Karkat's way of saying 'one more time before it all goes to the norm' and chuckled, closing the door behind him and following alongside Karkat. He thought back to the whole situation, loving every moment of it as it replayed in his head. He knew Karkat knew he'd thought that, cause the he'd shoved his arm into Sol's to get him to snap out of it. Along their walk, they played a hard game of elbow-to-elbow shoving, at least till Sollux psyched Karkat and caught him before he lost balance.

Their bond was like no other, and he knew that would never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it, Sollux and Karkat's usual bickerings-turned-Kissie-fest
> 
> Next chapter might be pretty rewarding for some fans of Karkat. I'm considering some little side ships along the way of the main bae
> 
> Hope you guys like it so far! And sorry for the delay!
> 
> I'll try to make more chapters more frequently, but I can't promise much. College is coming to ruin my free-lancing and utter lazy-abouts.
> 
> None the less, this will be an on-going project!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope that was a good beginning! Not very long, but at least it's a nice introductory.
> 
> Not really much to say, for now, aside from that ^^"


End file.
